As you approach retirement and find yourself considering enjoying the occasional glass of wine, don't be too hard on yourself for it.
That’s because drinking in moderation during this transitional period could actually help protect against depression, according to a study.
Over a span of 14 years, researchers monitored the drinking behaviors and health statuses of over 27,500 individuals.
Research indicated that, in general, retirees exhibited higher levels of depression compared to individuals who remained in the workforce.
But analysis revealed that retirees who drank in moderation appeared to have fewer symptoms of depression than those who binged on alcohol or abstained completely.
Moderate drinking is defined as consuming one to three alcoholic beverages per day for women and one to four for men.
Binge drinking is defined as consuming four or more alcoholic beverages in a single day for women, and five or more for men.
The researchers suggested that moderate alcohol consumption could be associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms, as alcohol has the potential to enhance mood through social interactions.
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However, they cautioned against the idea of routinely having a drink or two as a means to cope with retirement.
Dr. Antonia Diaz-Valdes of Universidad Mayor in Chile stated, "Consuming alcohol heightens the chances of falls and other injuries, and may result in dependency, along with the associated health issues."
"While it's true that many people face challenges when transitioning into retirement, resorting to alcohol is not a viable solution."
The authors emphasized the importance of providing support to individuals during their retirement, as this assistance can help prevent them from resorting to excessive alcohol consumption as a means of coping with the transition.
"Dr. Christina Seller from Simmons University in Boston emphasized the importance of offering alternative coping strategies to mitigate excessive alcohol use among retirees."
The results were released in the journal Aging and Mental Health.
